In college, my instructors often give me projects where I reproduce the works of classic artists like Da Vinci and Goya.

Trying to recreate classic works of art is a fantastic way to improve your skills, discover new ways of applying effects, and expand your artistic knowledge. However, when deriving influence from contemporary illustrators for professional work, it’s something to be careful about. Ultimately, working toward developing your own style should be your goal.

Today’s tutorial was inspirited by digital artist who graciously granted permission for us to use his work as inspiration. I chose his work titled “Keep me in the dark.”

In this illustration it is essential that you use a tablet; especially for the doodles and the white strokes that will give the portrait a more detailed effect. To view the tutorial you can go over to PSDTUTS: